Cattle-guard.



B. ESTES. CATTLE GUARD.

'APPLICATION FILED TBB.28, 19.12.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CK2-.WASHINGTON D,c.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARTON ESTES, GF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

CATTLE-GUARD.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BARTON Es'rns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of vvilashington,have invented new and useful improvements in Cattle-Guards, of which thefollowing is a specification.

rThis invention relates to cattle guards fcr use on railways, and theobject in view is to provide what may be termed an automatic cattleguard, the same being so constructed and mounted as to be operable withcertainty, by means of the weight of the cattle in attempting to passover the place where the cattle guard is located.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cattle guard ofsuch construction that it may be placed between the rails at any desiredpoint, and easily shifted from point to point, as may be required.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a cattle guard,embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection through the same, illustrating the operative position of theparts by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the gate. Fig. 4 is asimilar view of the depressible platform.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a pair of railway rails mountedupon the usual stringers 2 which are in turn connected by the transversebars or ties 3.

The cattle guard contemplated in this invention comprises a supportingbase, consisting of the parallel bars or bed pieces L1, from which posts5 extend upwardly, forming a support for a stationary platform G. Thisplat-form is provided with an aperture 7, in which is mounted a tiltinggate 8, said gate lying flush with the upper surface of the platform Gand forming a movable section of the platform. Connected to the outeredge of the gate 8 is a rock shaft 9 provided at its extremities withprojecting crank arms 10 which are in turn provided with outwardly andoppositely projecting pintles 11. The rock shaft is journaled inbearings 12 secured to the platform 6 at opposite sides of the tiltinggate S.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 28, 1912.

Patented Jan. 7,1913.

semi No. 680,378.

13 designates a depressible platform which is normally inclined, asshown in Fig. Q, the lower edge thereof resting on the parallel hars l,while at the upper edge said depressible platform is provided with lugs14 having sockets 15, shown in the form of eyes which fit over and restupon the pintles 11 in such manner that when an animal places his frontfeet upon the depressible platform 13, the crank arms 10 will be presseddownwardly, and thereby rock the gate upward to a substantially verticalpositio-n, in which it will form an obstruction to the further movementof the animal along the railway track. Near its free edge the tiltinggate is provided with a weight 16 to insure the return of the tiltinggate to its normal horizontal position, while extending across the freeend of the gate there is a cleat or cross bar 17 provided with spikes 18adapted to stick into the front legs of the animal, so as to effectivelydefeat any attempt of the animal to proceed farther along the railwaytrack. The opposite ends of the cleat project beyond the side edges ofthe tilting section of the platform, so as to rest upon the stationarypart of the platform and sustain the movable platform section Hush withthe stationary section.

It will be understood from the foregoing description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, that the automatic cattleguard hereinabove particularly de scribed is adapted to be placedbetween the rails and stringers at any desired point in the track, andfinds its support upon the usual cross ties or sleepers 3. If desired,the gate structure may be anchored in a fixed position by spiking theframe of the guard to the sleepers or otherwise anchoring the same inany convenient manner.

that is claimed is:

1. A cattle guard, embodying oppositely arranged parallel hed pieceslocated between the rails, a stationary platform mounted on andconnecting said bed pieces, a tilting gate formed by a Hush section ofsaid platform, a crank shaft fiXedly attached to said gate, and adepressible platform connected with said crank shaft and adapted whendepressed to throw the gate into an obstructing position, saiddepressible platform resting at its outer end on the parallel bedpieces.

2. A cattle guard, embodying oppositely arranged parallel bed pieceslocated between the rails, a stationary platform mounted on andconnecting said bed pieces, a tilting gate f formed by a. flush sectionof said platform, 1 a crank shaft Xedly attached to said gate, adepressible platform connected with said crank shaft and adapted whendepressed to throw the gate into an obstructing position,

and projecting at its opposite ends beyond 10 the side margins of thegate over the stationary section of the platform.

In testimony whereof I ati'iX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

BARTON ESTES.

said depressihle platform resting at its outer l itnessesz end on theparallel bed pieces, and a cleat CHARLES E. MCEWEN, extending along thefree edge of the gatel J. J. Goss.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

